Step up Business school, a competency-based training institution has launched an initiative here in Accra to nurture young entrepreneurs to thrive in their various fields.
The project dubbed, “Learn-Do-Grow” aims at eradicating unemployment and overreliance on the government for employment opportunities amongst the youth.
The project has three phases that are geared towards equipping the youth with proper entrepreneurial skills that will imbibe in them the knowledge needed to thrive economically. The stages; Learn-Do-Grow come together in shaping the skill set of the participants who will in turn give back to society.
Addressing the stakeholders at the launch, Charles King Nanor, the president of Step up Business School said “Learn Do Grow will train 340 entrepreneurs every year who will go through 21 days of virtual training after which they will be attached to firms to have a period of hands-on training. The top-notch business idea will be given start-up capital that will help them establish their own firms and employ other people.”
Seth Yeboah Ocran, the chairman of the occasion urged the youth to take advantage of the opportunity to broaden their knowledge base and become their own bosses, he added that the unemployment and underemployment statistics according to the World Bank is a worrying situation that demands a radical approach to curb the menace in Ghana he further stated that, he was glad about the fact that an initiative of that sort like many others are coming up and this is indicative of the fact that individuals and corporate bodies are showing love to humanity especially the youth. In encouraging participants, he noted, “all great businesses and enterprises started from somewhere and this is an opportunity for the youth to kick-start a befitting entrepreneurial career.”
George Babafemi, the keynote speaker took the time to elaborate on some thoughtful issues. He opined that ‘It is easy to start an enterprise but it is foolishness to start without knowing what it will cost you. ‘In his opinion, without self-discovery and knowing who you are, you will not be able to take full advantage of the program adding that, one key element of a metric program is becoming a unique you and riding on the wings of people who have gone ahead of you. He took the opportunity to charge participants of the program to solve problems for humanity and in doing so, money becomes the by-product. In effect, participants should not be money conscious but solution-oriented.
Recounting his undergraduate thesis, on “the study of the causes of poor performance and failure of SMEs in Ghana,” Pastor William Burckson, the head Pastor of Kingdom Expression Ministry elaborated on two things that stood out in his findings: Inadequate capacity and inadequate finance. He explained that an entrepreneur must operate from wealth which is different from riches. ‘The first wealth any entrepreneur should have is the wealth of ideas, followed by the wealth of time and finally, the wealth of counsel”, he added.
Dignitaries present at the launch together pledged their unflinching support for the initiative.
Interested applicants of the Learn-Do-Grow initiative, are required to visit the official website at www.learn-do-grow.org to register.